Yes we’ve turned the tables and tomorrow is your chance to interrogate the FBI! Well, nearly.
Ed Gibson, Cyber Security Advisor to Microsoft and ex FBI Special Agent has been invited to give a talk in assembly at Sheldon Heath Community Arts College tomorrow for Safer Internet Day. The talk will not only focus on some of the important issues around online safety and protection of personal information but also give a fascinating insight into the life of an FBI Agent.
The talk will be filmed and put on the internet for you to watch later in the week, but anyone can send in their question for us to put to Ed on the day. Please make sure you get your questions to us by 12 noon tomorrow – 10th February 2009. You can post your question as a comment here or email: digital@servicebirmingham.co.uk or Text ‘DIGITAL’ plus your message to 07786 200403 .
You can also access online eSafety resources and activities to help children be more cyberwise from http://www.digitalbirmingham.co.uk/sid or http://www.bgfl.org/esafety
The amount of power emitted from WiFi connections is very low (lower than your average mobile phone) therefore the associated health risks are negligible.
The difference between the work of a Special Agent and a policeman would be the specialist nature of the work of the FBI and although they have a remit to serve and protect they also have a responsibility for matters of national security.
The security of using WiFi whilst checking your bank account, etc. depends very much on ensuring you implement the relevant security measures: i.e. ensuring the encryption tool is switched on and is the latest version e.g. wpa2 as previous versions may have been compromised; ensuring the website you are on features the secure gold padlock symbol and checking whether the site url starts ‘https’ as this indicates they provide a secure web service.
WiFi technology is inherently insecure compared to wired connections but as long as you implement the correct measures i.e. latest version of encryption tools, urls that start https and sites that feature the gold padlock symbol and you should be quite safe.
No not all websites are safe … so you need to be vigilant at all times and perhaps apply some personal safety techniques to your online activities eg. don’t chat with people you don’t know and let your parents know where you – which sites you’re on or have been to, and this may help you remain safe online.
It very easy for someone to pretend to be young, beautiful and really nice online when in actual fact they are the total opposite – there are some really nasty people out there – so one easy way to avoid contact with untrustworthy people is DO NOT chat with people you don’t know.
May I say it was my privilege to be a part of Safer Internet Day on behalf of Digital Birmingham. Being able to address students interested in IT security, and to respond to questions about being safe on the Internet, as well as my career with Microsoft, and prior to that – the FBI. I look forward to returning. Please do feel free to email me if you have questions regarding Microsoft and safe internet computing. Thanks to everyone at Sheldon Heath Community College and Digital Birmingham.
Ed
Edward P. Gibson, FBCS*
Chief cyber Security Advisor
Microsoft Ltd, Thames Valley Park, Reading RG6 1WG England
EdGibson@Microsoft.com (*Fellow, British Computer Society)